Spring Brook (Lackawanna River tributary)
Spring Brook Spring Brook Creek | |
---|---|
Physical characteristics | |
Source | |
• location | Near Interstate 380 in Covington Township, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania |
• elevation | 1,860 ft (570 m) |
Green Run, Covey Swamp Creek |
Spring Brook (also known as Spring Brook Creek[1]) is a tributary of the Lackawanna River in Lackawanna County and Luzerne County, in Pennsylvania, in the United States. It is approximately 17 miles (27 km) long and flows through Covington Township, Spring Brook Township, and Moosic in Lackawanna County and Pittston Township in Luzerne County.[2] The watershed of the stream has an area of 57.2 square miles (148 km2). It is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery above Interstate 476 and as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery below it. A section is also designated as Class A Wild Trout Waters. The stream's tributaries include Panther Creek, Plank Bridge Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Green Run, Monument Creek, and Covey Swamp Creek. It has a relatively high level of water quality and is very slightly acidic, with a pH of 6.4 to 6.9.
The upper reaches of the watershed of Spring Brook are mountainous and swampy. Further downstream, the stream flows through a water gap in the Moosic Mountains. Sandstone, shale, and some coal are present in the vicinity of the stream. It has been channelized in a concrete channel for part of its length and is the main source of flooding in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County. The stream is the second-largest tributary of the Lackawanna River. Reservoirs on Spring Brook include the Spring Brook Intake, the Nesbitt Reservoir, the Watres Reservoir. There are three dams on the stream. The watershed is mainly forested, with only a small amount of urban land.
In the past, industries in the watershed of Spring Brook included timbering, coal mining, and agriculture. Two railroads also passed through the watershed in the early 1900s, at least one of which was established by the 1880s. The stream's watershed has served as a water supply since at least the early 1900s and still serves as a water supply for the Lackawanna Valley. Several bridges have also been constructed across the stream in the 20th century. The stream has been part of several studies since 1970. Part of its length is navigable by kayaking, paddling, and rafting.
Course
Spring Brook begins near Interstate 380 in Covington Township, Lackawanna County. It flows south for a short distance before meandering west for a few miles, crossing Interstate 380 and entering Spring Brook Township. The stream then turns south for several tenths of a mile before turning northwest for several tenths of a mile. It turns southwest before turning north-northwest and flowing around The Hogback. On the northern side of that hill, the stream turns south and then northwest, entering the Watres Reservoir. The stream exits the reservoir on its western side and flows northwest for a few miles, passing Pinnacle Hill and receiving the tributaries Panther Creek and Plank Bridge Creek from the left. It eventually bends east and enters the Nesbitt Reservoir after crossing Pennsylvania Route 502. Here, it receives the tributary Rattlesnake Creek from the right and flows between high hills. On the northern side of the reservoir, the stream flows north, receiving the tributary Green Run from the right before turning west-southwest. A few miles further downstream, it passes through the Spring Brook Intake before exiting Lackawanna County.[2]
Upon exiting Lackawanna County, Spring Brook enters Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It receives the tributary Monument Creek from the left and turns north-northwest for a few miles, flowing alongside Pennsylvania Route 502. On this stretch, it leaves behind the hills that it flows through, crosses Pennsylvania Route 502, and exits Luzerne County. Upon exiting Luzerne County, the stream enters Moosic, Lackawanna County and continues flowing north-northwest and receives the tributary Covey Swamp Creek from the right. The stream then turns west-southwest for a short distance before turning south and then west, crossing
Spring Brook joins the Lackawanna River 3.62 miles (5.83 km) upriver of its mouth.[3]
Tributaries
Spring Brook has numerous named tributaries: Panther Creek, Plank Bridge Creek, Rattlesnake Creek, Green Run, Monument Creek, and Covey Swamp Creek.[2] Panther Creek joins Spring Brook 10.40 miles (16.74 km) upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of 7.18 square miles (18.6 km2). Plank Bridge Creek joins Spring Brook 8.65 miles (13.92 km) upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of 1.26 square miles (3.3 km2). Rattlesnake Creek joins Spring Brook 7.96 miles (12.81 km) upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of 9.18 square miles (23.8 km2). Green Run reaches its confluence with Spring Brook 6.48 miles (10.43 km) upstream of its mouth. Its watershed has an area of 4.32 square miles (11.2 km2).[3] Spring Brook also has numerous unnamed tributaries.[4]
Hydrology
Spring Brook experiences noticeable flow loss.[4] As of 2009, it has high levels of sodium and alkalinity.[5] Pittson Township and the borough of Moosic have permits to discharge stormwater into it.[6] However, the water quality and habitat quality of the stream are relatively unimpacted.[7] The stream has relatively high water quality even where it flows through a concrete channel. In a study by the Susquehanna River Basin Commission, it was found not to fail any water quality standards either during base flow or storm flow conditions.[8] However, a study from the previous year found concentrations of sodium and alkalinity exceeding the threshold for concern.[5] In the early 1900s, Spring Brook was a clear stream in its upper reaches. However, by the time it reached the property of the Du Pont Powder Company, it was affected by slush pumped into it by the Pennsylvania Coal Company.[9]
Between 1971 and 1990, the
The concentration of
The concentration of organic nitrogen in Spring Brook at the community of Spring Brook was measured to be 0.09 milligrams per liter in 1975. The concentration of ammonia in the form of nitrogen was measured to be 0.040 milligrams per liter. The concentration of nitrates in the form of nitrogen was 0.74 milligrams per liter and the concentration of nitrites in the form of nitrogen ranged from 0.045 to 0.29 milligrams per liter in 1971.[11]
The concentration of sodium and potassium (as Na) in Spring Brook ranged from 1.4 to 3.9 milligrams per liter. The concentration of magnesium ranged from 0.90 to 1.60 milligrams per liter and the calcium concentration ranged from 7.30 to 8.80 milligrams per liter. The concentration of recoverable iron in the stream was measured to be 60 micrograms per liter in 1975.[11]
The concentration of
Geography, geology, and climate
The elevation near the mouth of Spring Brook is 617 feet (188 m) above sea level.[14] The elevation of the stream's source is approximately 1,860 feet (570 m) above sea level.[2] The gradient of the creek is 77.3 feet (23.6 m) per mile.[15]
The topography of the watershed of Spring Brook is mainly mountainous, with
Spring Brook flows across the
There are a number of dams on Spring Brook. One of these is the Spring Brook Intake Dam, which was determined in 1980 to be in good condition.[16] Another is the Nesbitt Dam and a third is the Watres Dam.[17][18]
Most of the Group A and Group B soils in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County are located along Spring Brook. These soils groups consist mainly of Pope soils.[1]
The average annual rate of precipitation in the watershed of Spring Brook is between 35 and 40 inches (89 and 102 cm).[15] The water temperature of the stream at the community of Spring Brook ranged from 8.0 to 15.5 °C (46.4 to 59.9 °F) in five measurements during the 1970s.[11]
Watershed
The watershed of Spring Brook has an area of 57.2 square miles (148 km2).[3] The watershed is in southern Lackawanna County and northeastern Luzerne County.[15] It is in the lower part of the Lackawanna River watershed, in its south-central and southwestern section.[4] The watershed is part of the North Pocono Watershed region of the Lackawanna River watershed.[7] The mouth of the stream is in the United States Geological Survey quadrangle of Avoca. However, its source is in the quadrangle of Moscow.[14] The creek mainly flows in a northwesterly direction.[15]
Spring Brook is the second-largest tributary of the Lackawanna River, after
Spring Brook is the main source of flooding in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County.[12]
History and industries
Spring Brook was entered into the Geographic Names Information System on August 2, 1979. Its identifier in the Geographic Names Information System is 1188206.[14]
Spring Brook provided power for early lumbering in Spring Brook Township, Lackawanna County.[1] In the early 1900s, the main industries in the watershed of Spring Brook included coal mining and agriculture.[15] The Pennsylvania Coal Company historically had a washery that discharged into the stream. The Du Pont Powder Company also operated in the watershed at that time.[9] A railroad line along the stream was present by the 1880s.[19] The Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad also crossed the stream's watershed and the Scranton and Spring Brook Railroad followed the stream between Rockdale and its mouth. During this time period, major communities in the watershed included Moosic, which had a population of 3964 at the time. The main stem and several tributaries were also historically used as a water supply by the Spring Brook Water Supply Company.[15] The stream is still used as an important water supply in the Lackawanna Valley, as of 2001.[4] Together with Roaring Brook and Stafford Meadow Brook, it serves as a water supply to a substantial part of the valley.[7] Some areas of the watershed have been subjected to extensive timbering programs as recently as 2001. The Nesbitt Water Filtration Plant is in the watershed, in Pittston Township, Luzerne County. It is owned by the Pennsylvania American Water Company.[4]
Spring Brook flooded during Hurricane Diane in 1955, reaching a discharge of 10,300 cubic feet per second (290 m3/s) near Moosic and destroying three homes and inundating the basements and first floors of many others.[12][20] The Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection constructed a levee on the stream after this flooding event.[12] The stream also experienced bank failure during floods in October 1985 and January 1996. It also flooded homes and trailers in its vicinity.[4]
A two-span
Spring Brook has been studied several times. It was studied by the United States Geological Survey from 1971 to 1975, by Daniels (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1976, by Rider and Blacksmith (working for the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection) in 1985, by Copeland (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1992, by Moase (working for the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission) in 1993, and Popp and McGurl in 2003.[7] The stream is on the Pennsylvania Department of Environmental Protection Bureau of Abandoned Mine Restoration's priority list for restoration.[4]
Biology
The drainage basin of Spring Brook is designated as a High-Quality Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery from its headwaters downstream to the Northeast Extension of the Pennsylvania Turnpike (Interstate 476). From that point downstream to its mouth, the drainage basin of the stream is designated as a Coldwater Fishery and a Migratory Fishery.[23] Wild trout naturally reproduce in Spring Brook from its headwaters downstream to its mouth.[24] A 2.4-mile (4-kilometer) section of the stream from the Watres Dam downstream to the Nesbitt Reservoir is considered by the Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission to be Class A Wild Trout Waters for both brook trout and brown trout. The tributaries Green Run and Panther Creek are Class A Wild Trout Waters for brook trout and part of the tributary Rattlesnake Creek is Class A Wild Trout Waters for both brook trout and brown trout.[13]
Numerous
The
The modified Hilsenhoff Biotic Index value of Spring Brook a short distance upstream of the Watres Reservoir is 2.56. The modified EPT Index value at this location is 15. The taxa richness value is 26.[7]
Recreation
A trail known as the Spring Brook / Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Greenway was proposed in the Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan in 2001. There are plans for trails on the flood levee at the stream's mouth and on the old Wilkes-Barre and Eastern Railroad corridor.[4]
A stretch of at least 7 miles (11 km) of Spring Brook are navigable by kayaking, paddling, or rafting. This stretch runs from the Nesbitt Reservoir to Moosic. The difficulty of the stream ranges from Class II to Class IV.[25]
Spring Brook is an approved trout stream.[26] In 1996, it was opened for trout fishing on April 29.[27]
See also
- Mill Creek (Lackawanna River), next tributary of the Lackawanna River going downriver
- Keyser Creek, next tributary of the Lackawanna River going upriver
- List of rivers of Pennsylvania
- List of tributaries of the Lackawanna River
References
- ^ a b c d Comprehensive plan of Springbrook Township Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania 2015 (PDF), 2015, pp. 5, 7–8, archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-25, retrieved July 7, 2016
- ^ a b c d e United States Geological Survey, The National Map Viewer, archived from the original on 2012-03-29, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c Pennsylvania Gazetteer of Streams (PDF), November 2, 2001, archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-09-17, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o p q Lackawanna River Corridor Association (2001), Lackawanna River Watershed Conservation Plan (PDF), pp. 9, 21, 24, 43, 48, 78, 84, 90, 111, 113, 208, 234, 277–278, archived from the original (PDF) on September 23, 2015, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b Susquehanna River Basin Commission (September 2009), Susquehanna River Basin Commission Middle Susquehanna Subbasin Year-1 Survey (PDF), archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-04, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ "List of NPDES and/or Other General Permit Types", Pennsylvania Bulletin, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Lackawanna River Corridor Association, North Pocono Watershed Coalition (March 2006), Coldwater Conservation Plan for the North Pocono Tributary Streams of the Lackawanna River Watershed (PDF), pp. 5, 8, 28, 30–31, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c Susquehanna River Basin Commission (December 28, 2010), Middle Susquehanna Subbasin Year-2 Survey: Small Watershed Study: Lackawanna River, An Assessment of Water Quality in Base Flow and Stormflow Conditions, April 2009 – April 2010, archived from the original on 2015-05-06, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Water Supply Commission (1916), Water Resources Inventory Report ...: Act of July 25, 1913, Part 10, p. 31
- ^ a b United States Geological Survey, USGS 01535540 Spring Brook near Spring Brook, PA, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c d e f United States Geological Survey, USGS 01535540 Spring Brook near Spring Brook, PA, archived from the original on 2016-03-05, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c d e Federal Emergency Management Agency (July 27, 2011), Flood Insurance Study Volume 1 of 3 (PDF), pp. 21, 23, 47, archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-04-18, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (December 16, 2013), Class A Wild Trout Waters (PDF), pp. 21–22, archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-03-14, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c Geographic Names Information System, Feature Detail Report for: Spring Brook, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ a b c d e f g h Water Supply Commission of Pennsylvania (1921), Water Resources Inventory Report ..., Parts 1–5, p. 573
- ^ Frederick Futchko (April 1980), National Dam Inspection Program. Spring Brook Intake Dam (NDI ID Number PA-00450, DER ID Number 35-40), Susquehanna River Basin, Spring Brook, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report, archived from the original on March 4, 2016, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ National Dam Inspection Program. Nesbitt Dam (NDS PA-00449/DER 35-15), Susquehanna River Basin, Spring Brook, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report, July 1978, archived from the original on March 4, 2016, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ National Dam Inspection Program. Watres Dam NDS ID Number Pa-00451 DER ID Number 35-81. Pennsylvania Gas and Water Company. Susquehanna River Basin, Spring Brook, Lackawanna County, Pennsylvania. Phase I Inspection Report, July 1978, archived from the original on March 4, 2016, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ Lackawanna River Corridor Association, The Lackawanna River Guide (PDF), p. 10, archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-03-05, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ Mervin S. Petersen, FLOODS OF AUGUST 1955 IN THE NORTHEASTERN STATES (PDF), p. 34, archived (PDF) from the original on 2016-06-15, retrieved July 7, 2016
- ^ a b Luzerne county, archived from the original on 2015-04-02, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ Lackawanna County, archived from the original on 2015-03-18, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ "§ 93.9j. Drainage List J. Susquehanna River Basin in Pennsylvania Lackawanna River", Pennsylvania Code, archived from the original on 2015-02-24, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ Pennsylvania Fish and Boat Commission (January 2015), Pennsylvania Wild Trout Waters (Natural Reproduction) (PDF), p. 46, archived (PDF) from the original on 2015-07-01, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ^ Pennsylvania whitewater, Spring Brook, archived from the original on 2015-09-24, retrieved March 28, 2015
- ISBN 9781932098518
- ^ "Anglers await Saturday start of trout season: the biggest day of the year for anglers comes up Saturday, as the 1996 trout season opens", Times Leader, April 7, 1996, archived from the original on December 8, 2015, retrieved March 28, 2015